Cotton-handling apparatus.



N0. 812,618'. PATNNTNN FEB. 13, 1906. A. E. TADWELL. COTTON HANDLINGAPPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED APRA, 1905.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

"W/@ @A Zw/@Mie Nol 812,618. PATENTED PEBl 13, 1906. A.. P. TTDWELL.

COTTON HANDLTNG APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED APRA, 1905.

4 SHEBTS-SHEET 2.

- ZWWWW? Xga??? A A i PATENTED FEB. 1 3

A. F. TIDWELL.

COTTON HANDLING APPARATUS.

APPLIGATION FILED APR.. 4, 1905.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

/Jw//l ///m www No. 812,618. v PATENTED PEB. 13, 1906. A. 1:'. TIDWELL.

COTTON HANDLING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED APR.4, 1905.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

UNITED STATES YPATENT oFrroE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 13, 1906.

Application filed April 4, 1905. Serial No. 253,886.

To ad whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT F. TIDWELL, a citizen of the United States,residin at Celina, in the county of Collin and tate of Texas, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Cotton-Handling Apparatus, ofwhich the following is a specificatlon.

This invention relates to a cotton-handling ap aratus.

he apparatus involves as a part thereof means for cleaning seed-cottonor for removing dust, leaf trash, and other foreign substances there rombefore the cotton is led to bins in a storage-house.

It is one of the objects of my invention to provide a cleaningmechanism'of a simple construction and which can be readily operate( Thecleaning mechanism lhas as a )art thereof a force-feeder. Heretofore tese force-feeders have been operated by power in the form of belting orsomething of a similar positive nature. While I effect the proper actionof the force-feeder, I do not ave to rely upon belting to do so, for the`feeder in the or anization illustrated in the accompan ing rawings,forming a part of this speci cation, is o erated pneumatically from thesuction pro uced in elevating the cotton from a wa on or such device.The elimination of belting not only effects a saving in expense, but isof articular advantage when the cleaning mechanism is employed inconnection'with a storage-house, for it can be put upon the roofing of ahouse or u on the dome thereof and o erated successfu ly. As isunderstood, when t 1e cleanin mechanism is mounted upon the roof or omeof a storage-house it is not ordinarily practicable to drive aforce-feeder.

Constituting a art of the apparatus is a storage-house, wit 1in which isarranged a series of bins in annular order, and it is one of the objectsof the invention to provide for the direction of the cleaned seed-cottonfrom the cleaning mechanism to any one of these bins, so that, for examle, when one of them is filled the supply of) cleaned cotton can bediverted'to the next one.

I will set forth in detailthe structure represented in lthe accompanyingdrawings; but l do not limit myself to the precise character of partsnor their disposition in the manner now to be described, for as to theseand other features of detail material variations may be Iliade withinthe scope of my invention included within my clalms.

AReferring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical sectional elevationof an apparatus involving my invention. Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectionaltop plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectionalelevation of the cleaning mechanism. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section ofthe parts represented in Fig. 3, the section bein taken in a planecorresponding substantial y with the axis of the force-feeder. Fig. 5 isa side elevation of the seed-cleaning mechanism.

Like characters refer to like parts throughout the different views.

The apparatus, as will be understood from what has been hereinbeforestated, includes in its make up a storage-house. The construction of thehouse forms no part of the invention, and therefore a detaileddescription of the same is unnecessary. Respecting the shape of thehouse, this is immaterial. It is represented as being circular.

The storage-house 2 contains interiorly thereof a pluralit of bins, eachdenoted by 3 and into which t e cleaned seed-cotton is alternatelydelivered, as will hereinafter more particularly appear. The bins forconven- 1ence are arranged in annular order. lThis 0rder need not, asshown, be circular. The arrangement of the bins side by side or inannular order provides for the ready delivery of cotton into desiredbins.

The cleaning mechanism involves a casing, as 4, into which aninlet-conduit, or, as it 1s known in the art, a pneumatic conveyer, as5, leads. Connected with the inlet-conduit outside of the storage-house2 is a pipe, as 6, constituting practically a continuation of the saidconveyer 5 and the receivin end of which is arranged to be placed Wit ina wagon to draw therefrom a sup ly of seedcotton for delivery by way oft e pi e and conveyor to the easing 4, wherein t e said cotton is freedof objectionable matter therein. From the casing 4 a suction conduit orflue 7 leads, the suction in which is created by a fan of some ordinaryconstruction. I do not deem it necessary to illustrate the fan nordescribe it in detail.

The casingr or housing 4 is mounted within the dome oi' thestorage-house 2 and contains interiorly a force-feeder, which I willdenote in a general way by 8. The force-feeder is represented ascomprising two end disks, each lllO designated by Q and alike inconstruction. Between these disks the blades 10, angular to the forcefeeder or wheel 8, are suitably fixed. f The outer edges of the bladesextend short of the peripheries of the complemental disks Q ,and carryflexible strips, as 11, which may be conveniently made from leather, thestrips extending each from one disk 9 to the other. 'v

Within the casing or housing 4 and extending from the upper side of thedelivery end of the inlet conduit or conveyer 5 to the upper edge of theboard 12 is a se mental screen 13, of a mesh sufficient to free yprovide for the passage therethrough of air-currents from the .pneumaticconveyer to the suctionl pipe or conduit, but not sucient to permit theseedcotton to be ro'ected therethrough. The upper edge of t e oardv 12extends above to the top of the suction conduit orliue 7, while itslower edge is located below thebottom of said flue or conduit,its innerface beingadapted to be traversed b the flexible strips 11. This board12, and a though I have termed it a board it need not necessarily bemade from wood, is of such extent that there will always be in contactwith its curved surface one of the iexible strips 11, so as to preventbackward suction of the cotton from the cleaningscreen- 14, hereinaftermore particularly described, to the suction conduit or flue 7. In otherwords, the flexible strips rovide for air-tight contact between the blaes or win s 10 and the board or guard 12. There is'sulgistantially aduplicate of the board or guard 12 at the opposlte side of the casinginteriorly thereof, the duplicate board or guard being denoted by 15 andits working face, which is curved, being arranged for engagement by theexible strips 11 as the force-feeder 8 turns. The board extends downwardfrom the inlet of the casing 4, and, as has been stated, its curved faceis of such an extent that there will always be in contact therewith atleast one flexible strip 11. This prevents dropping of unclean cottoninto the space of the casing in which the cleaning-screen 14 is directlylocated. I do not provide for the power operation of the force-feeder18, but rely simply and solely on suction developed in the apparatus tocause its rotation to an extent sufficient to insure the feed of cottonpositively toward the cleaning-screen and along the same.

It will be evident that the blades or wings of the force-feeder are solocated that a blast of air entering the casing 4 from the pneumaticconveyer can act against said blades with a force sufficient tocause theproper turnin motion of the force-feeder or drum 8.

epending from and practically forming a part of the casing 4 is a hopper16, of which the inclined and practically segmental screen 14 forms thetop. The seed-cotton in a dirty condition is advanced by suction and bythe action of the rotating force-feeder to the screen and is then causedto travel along said screen, and as it does so the objectionable mattertherein is caused to pass through the openings in the screen into thehopper 16, from which it is conveyed out of the buildin by way of thedischargeipe 17, extending rom the bottom of said opper. Thecleaningscreen may be either of slatted construction or metallic mesh,as deemed desirable.

' Motion being imparted to the fan l (not shown) connected with thesuction pipe or flue 7, the pipe 6 will be dip ed into a wa oncontaining cotton,"so that t e cotton wil be sucked through said pipeand into the inletconduit or pneumatic conveyer 5, from which latter thecotton passes into the casing 4 and strikes with the air-blast againstthe blades or wings of the Wheel or feeder 8, whereby the feeder vwillbe caused to rotate, the blades or wings of the feeder taking thecottonv therewith. The cotton as it travels around passes against thescreen 13 and then against the board or guard 12 and inall onto theinclined cleaning screen 14. hile on the' screen 14 the cotton iscleaned, the leafy matter, sticks, dirt and other forei n substancespassing through the meshes of t e screen into the hopper 16, where theyare conducted out of the building b way of the discharge-pipe 17. Theoleane cotton passes from off the screen 14 and into the tube 18 pendentfrom the casing or housin 4.

In connection wit the force-feeder I provide a governor to preventabnormal speed thereof, and I will now describe the form of governorshown for securingthe result in question.

Upon one of the disks are mounted two opposite pivoted weights 21,cooperative with a stationary brake-wheel 21, surrounding the weights.The latter are held in their ineHective ositions by coiled springs, as22, connected) therewith and with the disk '9, that carries the weights.The weights are adapted when the speed of the force-feeder passes beyonda certain limit to engage the inner face of the brake wheel or ring 21ato check such speed, it bein understood that the weights or shoes are town outward by centrifugal force. When the speed of the force-feeder islowered, the springs 22 simultaneously draw the weights or shoes awayfrom the brake wheel or ring. The two weights are operatively connectedtogether in such a manner as to secure their action in unison and toalso overcome^the force of gravity. To bring about the result inquestion, links, as 2lb, between the said weights can be employed. Inpractice brackets, which may be of the kind illustrated, may be providedfor holding the governor-weights in place. The cotton as it passesthrough the casing 4 travels at a high speed and at all times strikesthe screening means at a con- IIO IZO

siderable angle to prevent the cotton from webbing or sticking. Thecotton passes in close contact with the screening means, so that itsthorough cleaning is assured.

The cotton-cleaning screen 14is represented as consisting of a`plurality of elongated slats spaced to provide therebetween slots, andas the cotton passes over these slots sticks, nails, bolts, and screwsthat cannot ordinarily be removed from the cotton will pass through theslots.

The cotton dro er or cleaner need not necessarily be use 1n connectionwith a stor- `age-house, although its use in such connection isadvantageous for the reason hereinbefore set forth. It may be em yloyedsuccessfully to dro cotton onto a belli distributer or anything o anequivalent nature.

The cleaned cotton passes by gravity from off the screen 14 into thetube 18 and from thence into a chute, as 23. It will be seen that thecleaning-screen 14 is arranged at a steep angle in order to insure thecotton passing by its own weight from off the same and from thence intothe tube and chute just alluded to for deliver by the chute to any oneof the bins 3. I re y, therefore, simply upon gravity to cause theconduct of the cotton fbrom the cleaning-screen to any one of the ins.

The chute is movably mounted, so that it can be shifted todirect thecleaned cotton into any one of the series of bins 3. In the present casethe chute is revolubly mounted, it being supported for turning motion insome suitable manner by the pendent tube 18. To uphold the chute in asubstantial manner, it may be provided with an antifriction-wheel 24near its free end to travel upon the annu lar track 25, supported bysuitable framework in the house 2 above the bins. EX- tending downwardfrom the head of the chute 23 is an elongated spindle 26, having a handWheel or analogous actuatin device,- as 27, at its lower end. The hand-weel is arranged in proxiinity to the floor of the storage-house, so thatit'can be readily reached by a person standing upon said floor in orderto turn the chute 23. The spindle 26 is coaxial with the chute 23, andit Will be evident that when it is turned the chute can be revolved.

The apparatus hereinbefore described is simple in construction,effective in operation, and thoroughly cleanses the cotton and disposesof it when cleaned in a satisfactory manner, while at the same timemeans are provided for carrying out the trash from lthe uilding. I amenabled to operate the forcefeeder without the use of belting oranalogous mechanical devices. that the curved surfaces of the two boardsor guards 12 and 15 are concentric with the force-feeder 8. They, inconnection with two o positely-disposed blades 10, with the flexiblestrips 11 on the latter, serve, in effect,

It will be understoodto divide the interior of the casing into twochambers, the upper one being a suctionchamber, while there is nosuction in the lower chamber. The cleaned cotton is delivered into thislower chamber, and as there is no suction in the same there is nopossibility of the cleaned cotton being drawn up into the upper portionofthe casing. y

It will be understood that when the cotton strikes the screen 13 it doesso with considerable force, and in this way I am enabled initially toremove foreign ymatter from the mass, which passes through the meshes ofsaid screen and out into the suction-pipe 7.

In ractice I prefer to arrange a sliding cut-o as 16, between the hopper16 and dischargeipe 17, which may be closed or open, as esired, as inneither case will the action of the apparatus be affected.

The disks 9 are overlapped exteriorly and marginally by flexible stripswhich cover the joints between the disks and casing in an air-tightmanner. The-strips are denoted by 9a and may be of any form, althoughthey ordinarily are annular.

The annularly-arranged bins 3 surround an open space 3a, (shown ascirculan) a passage-way or aisle 8b leading into the sald open space 3aat a point outside of the bm. An attendant can enter the open circularspace 3a by way of the passa e-way or aisle 3, so as to obtain access tot e hand-Wheel 27, located in said circular open space.

Having thus described the invention, what 1. In a cotton-handlingapparatus, a casing, a pneumatic conveyer opening into the casing, asuction-flue, and a discharge-chute for cleaned cotton, leading from thecasing, a screen between the conveyer and the suction-flue, acleaning-screen between the suction-flue and the discharge-chute, forscreening the cotton before it reaches said chute, and a force-feeder inthe casing to positively move the cotton from the conveyer to thecleaning-screen and operable solely by the blast of air entering thecasing from said pneumatic conveyer.

2. In a cotton-handling apparatus, a casing, a pneumatic conveyeropening into the casing, a suction-line, and a discharge-chute forcleaned cotton, leading from the casing, a screen between the conveyeran'd the suction-flue, a cleaning-screen between lthe suction-flue andthe discharge-chute, forscreening the cotton before it reaches saidchute, and a force-feeder in the casing, arranged to be operated solelyby the blast of air entering the casing from said pneumatic conveyer andcomprising a plurality of blades.

3. In a cotton-handling apparatus, a casing, a pneumatic conveyeropening intothe casing, a suction-flue, and a discharge-chute forcleaned cotton, leading from the casing, a screen between the conveyerand the suc- IOO XIO

tion-Hue, a cleaning-screen between the suction-flue and thedischarge-chute, for screening cotton before it reaches said chute, a`force-feeder in the casing, arrangedfor operation solely by theair-blast entering the casing from` said pneumatic conveyer, said force,feeder involving a plurality of yblades provided with llexi le strips attheir outer edges,

and-'curvedmembers in the'casing, arranged v to be traversed by saidflexible strips, the eX- tentlofzeach curved member being such that atleast one iexible strip will bev always vin contact with one of them.

4. 'In a cotton-handling apparatus, a casing, a fan in the casing havinblades, means inftlre casing to be traverse by the blades and coperativewith the latter to divide the casing into independent chambers, a

screen in one of the chambers, and means for drawin air through thescreen-chamber and throng the screen to elect the cleaning ,of cotton,and to also turn the fan.

5. Ina cotton-handling apparatus, a casi ing, a fan in the casing havinglades, means in the casing to be traverse y the blades and coperativ-ewith the latter to divide the casingfinto -independent chambers, ascreen ,in one 'of the chambers, means for drawing airthrou'gh thescreen-chamber and through the screen to effect the cleaning of cotton,

and to also turn'the fan, and a screen in the other chamber of thecasing, said blades serving to carry the cotton in succession againstthe screens.

6.l In a cotton-handlin apparatus, the combination of a cotton-c eaningcasing, a force-feeder for the cotton in the casing, and

a suction-pipe communicating with the casj ing, the suction'through thepipe serving as the sole means for Irotating the said forcefeeder. y l

7. Avcotton-handlin apparatus having a stora e-house, cotton-c eamngmechanism, a

plura ity of bins arranged in annular orderin my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

ALBERT F. TIDWELL.

Witnesses:

JAMES M. DRAKE,

H. L. WEEMS.

